Kristin Chenoweth to Headline Portland Opera's BAROQUE BALL Gala

Portland Opera will welcome Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth to her Portland debut at the Baroque Ball gala on Saturday, September 16, 2017.

The gala event will begin with a 6 PM cocktail reception; followed by dinner and a presentation at 7 PM. Chenoweth's performance will begin at 9 PM, followed by the Rococo After Party at 10 PM. All proceeds from the event directly benefit Portland Opera.

"Kristin Chenoweth masterfully combines artistry, spunk, and timeless elegance," says Christopher Mattaliano, general director of Portland Opera. "She is a truly stunning singer and an unforgettable performer. We're thrilled to welcome her to Portland for this meaningful event."

Classically trained as a coloratura soprano, Kristin Chenoweth holds a masters degree in Opera Performance from Oklahoma City University. Her career spans film, television, voiceover and stage. In 2015, Chenoweth received a coveted star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2009, she received an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Pushing Daises. In 1999, she won a Tony Award for You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and she was also nominated for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked in 2004. She earned a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for her lead role in the Roundabout Theatre Company's On the Twentieth Century, and has performed to sold-out audiences across the world, including performances at Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall. Chenoweth has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and for a People's Choice Award for her role on Glee. Other notable television roles include appearances in The West Wing, Disney's Descendants, and The Muppets. She also starred in NBC's Hairspray Live! As Velma Von Tussle in December 2016. Last year, Chenoweth released "The Art of Elegance," her first album of American Songbook classics via Concord Records. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard's Current Jazz and Traditional Jazz charts. Chenoweth has various projects coming up such as Lionsgate/Hasbro's My Little Pony: The Movie, the animated film The Star. She will next be seen in the Starz original series American Gods, where she has reunited with executive producer Bryan Fuller in the role of Easter.

Co-chairs for Portland Opera's Baroque Ball gala include Ms. Gwyneth Gamble Booth and Ms. Carole E. Morse. The event is also made possible by the generous support of Platinum Sponsors: Joanne M. Lilley; Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnitzer, Directors of The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation; Ellyn Bye and the Dream Envision Foundation; Dorothy Piacentini, and Equity Rock, Inc.

"There are a million reasons to support Portland Opera and the arts in our region, " says Kay B. Abramowitz, President of Portland Opera's Board of Directors. "And so, our goal with this event is to raise a million dollars for the bright future of this magnificent art form in our community."

For over five decades, Portland Opera has contributed to the cultural, artistic, and economic landscape of the Pacific Northwest. Proceeds from the Baroque Ball will strengthen Portland Opera's ability to serve audiences throughout the region, by supporting operational costs as well as special programming and projects. Areas of focus include: Portland Opera's commitment to professional development for the next generation of artists, storytellers, and leaders in the field through the Resident Artist program; the Portland Opera To Go program, which serves over 15,000 young audience members in schools throughout the state; and Portland Opera A La Cart, the result of a recent partnership with Portland State University School of Architecture to create a mobile music performance truck inspired by Portland's food cart culture. Opera a la Cart is designed to go where people gather, and share opera in a new way.

During the 2017 season, Portland Opera will share core programming with 300,000+ people; including nearly 15,000 young audience members in schools throughout the state. The corporate partners, community allies, and arts advocates who support Portland Opera at the Baroque Ball Gala will help ensure the bright future of Portland Opera by making it possible to continue and expand upon those successes.

Table reservations for the Baroque Ball are available starting from the $10,000 level. A limited number of single tickets are on sale at the $500 level, subject to availability. For more information visit www.portlandopera.org/gala, or contact Portland Opera's Development team by calling (503) 417-0601 or emailing operagala@portlandopera.org.